Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-04-04
Our MelrOpOliss

In every important sense Los Angelo s
il the center OF Southern California. 1t
il the place from which our railroads
radiate; it is the distributing point for
our exports and imports, aud what Is
qoite as important it is the distributing
point for our immigration. most new.
comers go direct to Los Angeles and then
visit o,he. points afterwards. From Los
Angeles they receive their first
impressions OF Southern California,
and FIRST Impressions are very apt to
stick. Many tourists in the short
time they sperd here do not get beyond
Los Angeles and its suburbs, and busi-
ness men and delegations" of one sort
and another judge Southern California
By what they see in a few hours stay in
Los Angeles. The "City of the Angels
the refore stands in a representative
capacity, and we are all interested
that our metropolis should make
the best possible showing of orr re.
sources md enterprise.
Certainly the new arrival in the city
can be struck with some strange con-
trasts. He finds all incoming trains
crowded, and in general booming con.
dition of passenger and freight business,
but he is landed remote from the bust.
ness center, in little depot that would
disgrace . city of 10000 inhabitants.
He finds q system of horse, cable and
electric railways that discount Chicago,
bat streets that cannot boast paving
Stone, aud are quagmire of mud and
filth after rain. He finds county
~ kkrt
almost like those of small
State. being transacted in a little
abdobe building thai would serve poorly
the public purposes of single pros
porous township. He is in land that
claims to bs veritable Garden of E len
in its profusion of fruits and flowers;
but all than he can find in the shape of
public parks are some dusty beer-gar-
dtns, little enclosure devoted to sup
erannuated ostriches, and diminutive
plaza where you are warned to keep
OF the grass" which consists of seven
wilted spears of bunch grass and three
withered poppies. o. every hand
are going up business blocks that
rival those of New York, while
the poatofice until recently was
consigned to dark little 7x9 room. The
city is Mecca for health seekers, but
its water is poor, its sewerage outrage.
ously defective, and streets not over
clean. Ia short, the city is marvel of
private enterprise, of business prosperity;
bat it, public works are mainly notice
able by their absence. Los Angeles has
outgrown its Improvements; it is q me-
tropolis with many of the public con-
veniences of country village. This
hurts the city, and it hurts the country
also, because the rest of Southern Cal
ifornis is judged by Los Angeles.
Los Angeles has great future as the
metropolis of the finest piece of country
in the world; as the future capital Of
one of the most populous and wealthy
States in the Union. And her citizens
should lay deep and sure the foundations
for the greatness that awaits their city.
A comprehensive system of public i'm
proyements in street paving, sew.
erage, water works, parks, etc,
shonld be inaugurated. Los Auge
les may sneer at the "cty of bay
and climate" but San Diego has voted
bonds for 6ue SYSTEM of sewers, and
San Bernardino is moving in the same
We are all proud of Los
Angeles real estate and. commercial
boom; of its electric lights street rail
ways, schools, benevolent societies; but
We are deeply interested in her making
some improvements, the lack of which
makes the city seem like man wearing
The clothes OF boy.-Ontario Record